Dr. Chris Katnik

Chris received his B.S. in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his M.S. and Ph.D. in biophysics from University of Rochester. Since then, he has worked in research labs at the University of Chicago, Miami, Queensland, Newcastle and South Florida. Using single cell photometry, electrophysiology and confocal microscopy he has studied cell signaling in monocyte-derived macrophages, pancreatic beta cells, pancreatic islets, CACO cells, rabbit aortic endothelial cells, rabbit aortic and pulmonary valves, guinea pig pyloric isolated smooth muscle cells and smooth muscle bundles, cultured rat myoblasts, transfected SHEP cells and cultured rat cortical neurons. Recently he has studied therapeutics for cerebral stroke with the use of Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion surgery on juvenile rats and diet induced lacunar infarcts in adult rats. Brain injuries were evaluated by conducting behavior tests, analyzing immunohistochemically stained brain slices, performing Multi-Spectral Opto-Acoustic Tomographic brain scans and measuring glucose tolerance and blood pressure measurements. Currently he is performing contraction studies on isolated pressurized mesenteric lymphatic vessels from rats and humans. The results from the human vessels will be correlated with the donor’s age, sex, BMI, blood pressure, alcohol consumption, smoking habits and any history of diabetes.